Volunteer to be recognized

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Charlie White, owner of White’s Aircraft, Salvage & Parts, was one of many contributors to the C-130 classroom project.

White came to the attention of Aaron Clark, Hill Aerospace Museum director while working at Hill AFB, converting a C-130 into a jump trainer for use at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City. Clark realized that White had specific skills that would be valuable to the C-130 classroom project.

“We found out he was on base, started talking to him, and he wanted to not only help with this project but donate/volunteer all of his work and material to our supporting foundation,” said Clark. “He has been a major contributor toward completion of this project and has done all of this as a volunteer.”

His contribution will end up saving an

estimated $150,000 in time and materials, as well as saving years in completion time. For his efforts, White will be receiving the Nate Mazer Award later this month at the annual Air Force Association’s Kevin J. Sullivan Award banquet. The Nate Mazer award recognizes the museum’s top volunteer for the year.

White’s contributions included fabricating the C-130’s three footing supports, which support the fuselage while securing it to the ground. He also fabricated and installed specifically-designed pieces meant to enclose and seal the aircraft from weather and birds, where its wings and tail section have been removed. Additionally, White worked with the C-130 Program Office to acquire additional parts from aircraft located at Sheppard AFB.